As Florida’s vibrant cultural hub and gateway to the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa offers visitors fantastic weather year-round plus an eclectic blend of can’t-miss attractions. From fascinating museums and performing arts to exciting sports and outdoor adventures, Tampa impresses with an array of enticing things to see and do.
| No. | Attraction | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | Adventure park with thrilling rides and animal encounters. |
| 2 | Tampa Riverwalk | Scenic pedestrian path connecting art, dining, and parks. |
| 3 | The Florida Aquarium | Large aquarium with diverse marine life and exhibits. |
| 4 | Ybor City Historic District | Historic neighborhood with shops, cafes, and cigar lounges. |
| 5 | Florida Museum of Photographic Arts | Museum showcasing diverse photography artworks. |
| 6 | Glazer Children’s Museum | Interactive museum for kids with educational play spaces. |
| 7 | ZooTampa at Lowry Park | Zoo with various animals and natural habitats. |
| 8 | Tampa Theatre | Historic movie palace with independent and classic films. |
| 9 | Henry B. Plant Museum | Museum in a historic hotel showcasing Gilded Age splendor. |
| 10 | Curtis Hixon Park | Downtown park with recreational activities and events. |
| 11 | Tampa Bay History Center | Museum detailing Tampa’s history with interactive exhibits. |
| 12 | International Independent Film Festival | Annual film festival featuring independent films and filmmakers. |
Here are 12 of Tampa’s top attractions showcasing this dynamic city’s best offerings.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Name and Location:
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Northeast Tampa.
History and Significance:
Opened in 1959, Busch Gardens is a 335-acre African-themed animal theme park known for its thrilling rides and exotic animals.
What to Expect:
Roller coasters, live shows, animal encounters, and family-friendly attractions.
Visitor Information:
Tickets or passes required. Open year-round with varying hours. Parking available onsite.
Combining world-class thrill rides andanimal encounters into one action-packed park, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay provides memorable family fun for all ages. Journey deep into Africa, Egypt and the Congo via detailed recreations showcasing over 12,000 exotic animals grazing wild open plains along the Serengeti Express railway and walking trails. Tampa’s premier rollercoaster collection including SheiKra, Montu and Kumba get hearts racing. Entertainment options like Cirque Electrique acrobatic shows and Sesame Street kids areas balance excitement with lighter fare for a full day discovering wildlife alongside coaster thrills against a beautiful garden landscape.
Tampa Riverwalk
Name and Location:
Tampa Riverwalk, Downtown Tampa along the Hillsborough River.
History and Significance:
A 2.6-mile-long walkway along the river, connecting many of Tampa’s attractions and parks. It’s a hub of activity and relaxation.
What to Expect:
Scenic views, access to museums and parks, dining and shopping options, and public art installations.
Visitor Information:
Open 24/7, free of charge. Bicycle and scooter rentals available.
Strolling Tampa’s scenic Riverwalk reveals the city’s soul via vibrant waterfront pathways connecting art museums, restaurants and parks downtown. Walkers, cyclists and joggers flock to this pedestrian promenade following the Hillsborough River as it meanders through the energetic Channel District towards historic Tampa Heights neighborhoods. Pause to window shop waterside boutiques, relax within Curtis Hixon Park’s fountains and lawn sculptures, rent a water taxi or kayak to explore further, dance along during live music events, and snap selfies against the picturesque minarets of the University of Tampa. Tampa Riverwalk sightseeing adventures remain always lively and breezy.
The Florida Aquarium
Name and Location:
The Florida Aquarium, Channelside District, Downtown Tampa.
History and Significance:
Opened in 1995, the aquarium focuses on Florida’s diverse aquatic and terrestrial animals and ecosystems.
What to Expect:
Aquatic and terrestrial animals, interactive exhibits, and educational programs.
Visitor Information:
Ticket purchase required. Open daily. Parking available onsite.
Dive into Tampa’s fascinating aquatic ecosystems at the outstanding Florida Aquarium featuring over 20,000 marine animals and plants housed in imaginative exhibits. Get eye to eye with playful river otters, stare down a dozen shark species including hammerheads, and be wowed walking through the stellar Coral Reef tunnel surrounded by dazzling tropical fish ambling by. Outdoors, spiral up the multistory Splash Pad waterspout, take in the aquarium skyline views and spy Ellie the rescued manatee swimming gracefully. Fascinating shows, touch tanks, up-close animal encounters and seasonal events like summer concerts ensure the Florida Aquarium makes quite a splash.
Ybor City Historic District
Name and Location:
Ybor City Historic District, northeast of downtown Tampa.
History and Significance:
Founded in the 1880s by cigar manufacturers, it’s known for its historic buildings and Cuban and Spanish influences.
What to Expect:
Vintage shops, Cuban restaurants, nightlife venues, and cultural festivals.
Visitor Information:
Area is pedestrian-friendly. Street parking and parking garages available.
Transport back to Tampa’s bygone Golden Era amidst the cobblestoned streets, wrought-iron balconies and red-brick architecture of historic Ybor City. Founded in the 1880s by Cuban manufacturer Vicente Martinez-Ybor and other cigar industrialists, this fascinating Latin neighborhood grew into an immigrant enclave, crime hub and eventual tourist gem over generations of cultural changes. Today visitors stroll its shaded brick lanes peering into international shops, cafes, nightclubs and cigar lounges breathing nostalgic life into this quarter-mile sector’s storied past. Make time to explore the Ybor City Museum, take a foodie tour for authentic cuisine or simply soak up spirited history.
The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
Name and Location:
The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, Downtown Tampa.
History and Significance:
A museum dedicated to exhibiting important photographic art as central to contemporary life and culture.
What to Expect:
Photography exhibitions from local, national, and international artists. Workshops and classes are also available.
Visitor Information:
Admission fee required. Open daily. Check their website for current exhibitions and events.
Tampa celebrates the skill, artistry and innovations of photography at the stunning Florida Museum of Photographic Arts occupying a striking historic federal courthouse downtown. Examine powerful Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalism, vivid architectural images, Ansel Adams wilderness landscapes and Andy Warhol pop culture screen prints immortalized on film. Special exhibitions might highlight local Florida photography milestones or avant garde experimental works juxtaposed against traditional techniques. Film screenings, educational talks, monthly gallery events and a charming cafe further transform the FMoPA into Tampa’s inspiring temple devoted to the diverse mediums of modern photography as fine art.
Glazer Children’s Museum
Name and Location:
Glazer Children’s Museum, Downtown Tampa.
History and Significance:
Opened in 2010, it’s a child-centered learning environment with interactive exhibits.
What to Expect:
Hands-on exhibits focusing on science, technology, arts, and mathematics. Designed for children aged 0-10.
Visitor Information:
Ticket purchase required. Ideal for families with young children. Stroller-friendly.
Designed specifically to inspire wonder in young explorers, Glazer Children’s Museum packs four floors with interactive play spaces facilitating kids’ growth through roleplaying occupations, inventing environments and igniting imaginations. Budding paleontologists dig dinosaur bones in a fossil pit, future chefs cook up kitchen creations, budding builders erect structures at a construction site and tiny doctors cure plush patient ailments. Additional exhibits feature pretend grocery stores, performance stages, science labs and world culture activities bringing global diversity home. With rotating traveling installations too, Glazer’s hands-on extravaganza helps Tampa’s kids joyfully learn lessons for life.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Name and Location:
ZooTampa at Lowry Park, North Tampa.
History and Significance:
Opened in the 1950s, it’s known for its conservation efforts and immersive animal experiences.
What to Expect:
A variety of animal exhibits, interactive experiences, and educational programs.
Visitor Information:
Ticket purchase required. Open daily. Parking available onsite.
Home to over 1,300 animals across spacious natural habitats, ZooTampa ranks among America’s top facilities immersing families into Florida, Africa and Asian wildlife discoveries. Explore extensive animal trails by foot or ride the air-conditioned kids train touring territories like the Wallaroo station showcasing kangaroos and wallabies, Primate World with endangered apes and monkeys, the Florida wetlands with playful otters and manatees, plus expansive African safari zones traversing from dense forests through grassy savannas. With animal care and conservation as top priorities amid zoo entertainment like giraffe feeding encounters, ZooTampa provides amazing up-close wilderness moments for all ages.
Tampa Theatre
Name and Location:
Tampa Theatre, Downtown Tampa.
History and Significance:
Built in 1926, this historic movie palace is known for its unique architecture and community events.
What to Expect:
Classic films, new releases, and special events in a beautifully restored setting.
Visitor Information:
Event tickets required. Check their website for current showings and events.
Downtown’s flamboyant Tampa Theatre stands both as a glamorous cinema palace and historic entertainment landmark showcasing fabulous films since 1926. Its elaborately embellished Mediterranean courtyard façade dripping in terra cotta tiles and appear glowing neon instantly transports guests decades back in time. Inside the ornate interior dressed in twinkling stars, Baroque carvings and antique fixtures looks straight out of old Hollywood. Today’s moviegoers can still view new independent films and classics shown on Tampa’s silver screen while soaking up the vintage ambiance and decorative details from bygone eras of movie magic.
Henry B. Plant Museum
Name and Location:
Henry B. Plant Museum, University of Tampa campus.
History and Significance:
Originally the Tampa Bay Hotel, this national historic landmark reflects the opulent lifestyle of the 1890s.
What to Expect:
Period rooms with original furnishings, historical exhibits, and guided tours.
Visitor Information:
Admission fee required. Open daily. Guided tours available.
Step into the opulent world of railroad tycoon Henry Bradley Plant at this National Historic Landmark museum housed inside his former luxury resort, the grand 1891 Tampa Bay Hotel. Meticulously restored exhibits within eight ground floor hotel rooms recreate turn of the century Gilded Age splendor through original furnishings, artifacts and ornate architectural finishes unchanged for over a century. Docent-led tours share stories bringing the museum’s rooms to life while the glass-enclosed Pullman car out back demonstrates early 20th century rail travel. With a cafe, gift shop and lovely gardens on sprawling grounds, the Henry B. Plant Museum immerses guests into Florida’s vibrant Victorian heyday.
Curtis Hixon Park
Name and Location:
Curtis Hixon Park, Downtown Tampa.
History and Significance:
A popular urban park offering stunning views of the Hillsborough River and downtown skyline.
What to Expect:
Open green spaces, dog parks, playgrounds, and frequent events like concerts and festivals.
Visitor Information:
Open to the public, free of charge. Events may have separate admissions.
As downtown Tampa’s vibrant recreational “living room,” the contemporary Curtis Hixon Park entices visitors outdoors with its beautifully designed open lawns, winding walkways and scenic riverfront locale. Children frolic climbing artful tree sculptures near interactive fountains shooting arcing jets, while joggers circle the perimeter on riverside trails. Yoga practitioners meditate amid gardens exploding in colorful blooms. Festivals, concerts, outdoor markets, holiday celebrations and weekly “Movies in the Park” screenings further packing this urban oasis framing snapshot worthy panoramas of the Tampa skyline rising across the water. When seeking urban serenity steps from attractions, Curtis Hixon Park beckons as downtown’s verdant social centerpiece.
Tampa Bay History Center
Name and Location:
Tampa Bay History Center, Downtown Tampa.
History and Significance:
A museum that showcases the rich history and heritage of the Tampa Bay area.
What to Expect:
Interactive exhibits covering the region’s history, from native inhabitants to modern times.
Visitor Information:
Admission fee required. Open daily. Gift shop and café onsite.
Explore centuries of Tampa influences from prehistoric Native peoples through cigar industry boomtowns to today’s melting pot within the contemporary curves of the Tampa Bay History Center. High-tech and hands-on permanent exhibits cover 12,000 years including a full size Spanish tall ship recreation, historic films and touchable artifacts animating the region’s cultural changes decade by decade. Additionally, rotating traveling Smithsonian displays have spotlighted impactful sports milestones, fashion trends and historical Florida photography. And the History Center’s stunning special event hall overlooking Tampa’s glittering skyline provides a thoroughly modern venue to host weddings and galas steeped in nostalgia.
International Independent Film Festival
Name and Location:
Various venues in Tampa, Florida.
History and Significance:
An annual event showcasing independent films from around the world, fostering a community of filmmakers and film enthusiasts.
What to Expect:
A diverse selection of independent films, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.
Visitor Information:
Festival passes or tickets to individual screenings required. Check their website for dates and venues.
Each spring, Tampa transforms into a cinematic hive swarming with indie filmmakers and movie fans attending the annual Gasparilla International Film Festival in historic venues across the city. During this multi-day celebration of independent filmmaking, attendees interact with talented producers, directors and actors while immersing into unique creative visions from the best rising talent outside big studio systems. Narrative features, insightful documentaries, LGBTQ shorts, Spanish projects and local Florida movies screen in downtown’s opulent Tampa Theatre, at the Contemporary Art Museum and at special theaters within walking distance of lively opening night parties. For behind the scenes access into tomorrow’s celebrated auteurs, don’t miss this influential insider film festival.
With an enviable coastal setting flanked by beautiful beaches, pleasant weather, vibrant arts and downtown entertainment alongside family-friendly enclaves like Busch Gardens, Tampa impresses visitors with an excellent variety of things to experience. Use this local guide when planning your Florida vacation to discover Tampa’s top attractions promising memorable fun beyond Orlando’s neighboring theme parks. Let electric Tampa set the scene for your Sunshine State adventure exploring everything from fascinating culture to thrilling rides showcasing sizzling Florida flavors.